Calming Thunder
by Kelana-ti
Summary: Cherise has started a new life, but when an old freind and enemy returns, can she listen to him and forgive? And can AVANLANCE trust him? some cloti and tseng/elena
1. Prologue

Calming Thunder

**This is my first offical non-short story fanfic. This will be an eventual SephOC, but it will take a few chapters until that happens, or even until they meet again, so be patient.**

**Mia- do they eat pickles in this story? cause i like pickles. pickles are gooooood...**

**Kelana-ti- Mia, if you are going to say something, say something creative. Like, of VALUE.**

**Mia- that was of value! everyone wants to know if they eat pickles in this story, right guys?!**

**Seph- Who cares about pickles? Just start the story and shut up.**

**Mia-'who cares about pickles?' hellllooooooo! EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT PICKLES. and get that sword away from me!**

**Kilana-ti- gags sister **

**I do not own FF7 or Sephiroth.**

Prologue

000

Cherise Autumn were in the Shinra Building training room when the alarm went off.

"Aarin?" She looked at her brother. "What is going on?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe AVALANCE escaped?" He picked up his gunblade, which he called Talon, from the table. "Let's go see."

Grapping her sword and pistol, Cherise followed Aarin out into the corridor. It was strangely quiet, except for the blaring alarm. Then, for some reason, it turned off. The siblings exchanged glances, and then started down the corridor, past the elevator, then to the door that opened to the stairs. As everyone knows, elevators are not used in emergencies. Aarin was about to step in when five MPs came jogging down the hallway. The one leading, a sergeant, saw that Aarin and Cherise were Turks, and saluted.

"Do you know what's going on?" Aarin asked.

"No sir," the sergeant answered. "We were going to go see."

The older Turk nodded, then said, "Carry on." He stepped aside to let them down the stairs. Brother and sister followed.

"They must think something major is going on as well, since they are taking the stairs," Cherise whispered.

Aarin nodded. "Be ready."

When the sergeant opened the door to the next floor down, they all went out to see if anyone was on the floor. It seemed empty, until some one screamed.

The MPs ran down the corridor, with the Turks close behind. They turned a corner, and then skidded to a stop. Several employees lay on the ground, dead, their blood staining the white floor that was so hard to keep clean.

In the middle of the bodies stood Sephiroth.

For a split second, it was quiet. Cherise was stunned. She had known Sephiroth, had been friends with him. After the Nibelhiem incident, Shinra had said that he was dead. Aarin had done some hacking, and found out that Sephiroth had gone insane and had killed the towns' people, and was stopped only when Zack and Cloud killed him. Cherise hadn't believed her brother…but apparently he had been right.

But Sephiroth had been killed! He was standing right in front of her, his 6-foot long Masamune stained with blood, and his mako-green eyes staring right though her.

"Sephiroth!" Cherise cried. "What-"

He charged.

The MPs started firing, and Cherise and Aarin followed suit. Sephiroth smirked, deflecting the bullets with apparent ease. He jumped, and was among the MPs, killing two in one second, another the next. Soon, only the Turk siblings were left.

Holding her sword with her right hand, Cherise holstered her pistol with her right. She had been a Turk for seven years, and was a good fighter, but that did not mean she would survive the next few minutes. Sephiroth swung Masamune at Cherise. For the next few seconds, Cherise and Aarin fought Sephiroth. Cherise dodged a blow, only to have her sword knocked out of her hands. She jumped back. Behind Sephiroth, she could see more MPs coming. But they made no difference.

Cherise watched in horror as Sephiroth stabbed Aarin in the chest, then turned to the other MPs, letting her brother fall to the floor. Ignoring the danger, Cherise ran to him and dragged him away from the fight.

"Aarin!" Cherise gasped. His jacket was stained with blood, and the stain was moving too fast. "Aarin."

He looked up at her, his eyes clouded in pain. "Cherise…" he winced as he tried to draw a breath. "If …you live…"

"Yes?"

He gripped her hand. "Don't give up. E-everyone… has …responsibilities…don't-don't let go…of yours."

Cherise nodded. "I won't," she said softly. It hurt to see him like this. "You hold on. You'll be fine…"

He shook his head and winced. "I…thought we …taught you…better. Here."

Slowly, he reached with the hand that still held his gunblade, and brought it to her hand. "Keep it."

"I will" she said, gripping it in her free hand.

"Cherise…don't…give up. Hope…" Aarin's voice cut off. His brown eyes dimmed, and his hand fell to the floor.

"No," Cherise whispered. "No, Aarin!" He was gone. She stared at him, tears blearing her vision. She could not believe her brother was gone. But he was. Her hand shaking, Cherise gently closed his eyes, softly saying, "Good bye."

The Turk picked up Aarin's gunblade and stood, grief welling up until she couldn't take it. Cherise looked over her shoulder. Sephiroth had killed the so-called reinforcements, and was coming for her. She knew she was going to die, but first she wanted to know…

"Why?" Cherise asked, her voice shaking. "Why are you doing this?"

"I am ridding the Planet of the traitors who would destroy it," Sephiroth answered. "Those on the floors below are dead." He charged.

Cherise jumped back against the window and ducked. The Masamune swung above her head, shattering the window. She parried his next two strikes, but then he slashed down her side, from mid-ribcage to her hip. Cherise screamed, then fell, out into the open air.

As she fell, she watched the ground approach. It was funny how death brought everything into perspective. The Shinra Building was surrounded by SOLDIER and infantry. She felt a materia spell catch her, and that was when she would not die after all.

000

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! I'm back! :D It took longer then i thought to write this. But it is here now, so have fun! Oh, and by the way, Cherise has wavy dirty-blond hair and hazel eyes. Right now, she is 25. Talon, her brothers gun blade, is a lot like Leon's in ff8. Her fav materias are agility, ice and lightning. Aarin (her brother, and yes he died in the last chapter) had brown hair and eyes, and was 25 when he died.**

**Mia:...and thus it begins. welcome to the world of ff7 that my sister does not own. **

**Kadaj: When am I going to get in this story?**

**Mia: when my sister feels like it.**

**Kadaj:...you're going to ditch us halfway through the chapter again, aren't you?**

**Mia: yup!**

**Chapter 2**

It was a week since Vincent Valentine defeated Omega in what was now being called The Battle of Midgar. Cherise looked around, still uncomfortable being so close to the city she used to call home. True, it was a different town, called Edge, but the old Shinra Building still dominated the view. She had fought in the battle, side-by-side with AVALANCE. It felt good to fight on the good side. Now she was stationed in Edge, helping clean things up and helping WRO rebuild.

Cherise had worked hard all day, looking through the remains of the old Shinra Building and making sure DeepGround had not left any nasty surprises for them. She was coming up on the building her apartment was in. She was dirty, tired, and hungry, but did not feel like making her own dinner. Cherise decided to go to 7th Heaven and eat dinner there. It was nearby, the food was good, and she had gone there almost every day so far that she had been in Edge. It was almost tradition.

After walking halfway around the block, Cherise arrived at 7th Heaven. The sun was setting as she stepped inside. It was known as a bar, but lately it been turning into more of a café. It was just before the busy hour, and a few customers were sitting at a table.

Cherise sat at a table of to the side, then looked around. AVALANCE was there, as the few members that did not live in Edge were still needed for cleaning up. Cloud, Barret, Cid, and Vincent were playing a game of cards while Shelke and Red XIII watched. Tifa was acting as a waitress, and Yuffie was talking to Marlene and Denzel. Shera was behind the bar washing dishes.

Cherise looked up as Tifa walked over, placing the menu and a glass of water in front of Cherise. "Do you want anything else to drink?" Tifa asked.

"I'll have some coffee, thank you," she answered.

As Tifa walked away, Cherise was aware of one of the other customers eying her. She took a sip of water and looked at the menu, trying to ignore him.

The man scowled as Tifa walked over to the bar. He had unpleasant, shifty eyes and looked like he hadn't shaved for days. Cherise found herself fingering her gun blade. Gut feeling told her that the man was trouble. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw shifty eyes looking at her again. Then, she remembered that she had met him before.

Tifa came back with the coffee, crème, and sugar. "Have you decided what you want?" she asked.

Cherise nodded. "Yes, I'll just have a chicken sandwich. With the salad and fries."

"Ok, I'll go get it," Tifa said as she walked over to Shera. Cherise watched her, marveling at how after all she's gone though, Tifa still acted carefree.

The man stood up. Cherise allowed her full attention to be on him, and as she did so, she remembered who he was. His name was Cody Tripe, a bank thief. She had personally tracked him down several times, and he had a major grudge against her. This could get rough.

Cherise calmly finished mixing the crème and sugar into the coffee, and took a sip as Cody Tripe approached. He stopped a yard away from her. Cherise waited a few seconds before looking up.

"Yes?" She asked, keeping her voice cool and level. "What is it, Tripe?"

His eyes narrowed. "I want to talk to you," he said. "Outside"

The tone of his voice must have set off an alarm bell for AVALANCE, because they were all looking at Cherise and Tripe. The thief looked up, and his eyes narrowed. "Alone."

Valentine and Strife looked at Cherise. She could she the question in their eyes. _Will you be fine? _Cherise nodded. Then she looked at Tripe. "All right."

Cherise glanced at Tifa. "I'll be back."

Slowly, she stood up, and walked outside, Tripe and his friends following her. Tripe then led the way into and alleyway on the side of 7th Heaven. He motioned for her to stand with her back to the wall and stared at her. Then he pulled his pistol out of its holster as one of his friends took Cherise's gunblade out of her holster. She narrowed her eyes.

"You know," Tripe began, "You've caused a lot of trouble for me. Ruined my organization, and put me in jail."

"Yes, but apparently you got out," Cherise stated.

Tripe smiled slowly as his friends drew their guns and pointed them at the ex-Turk.

"Yes, that's just great, isn't it?" Tripe asked slyly. "I've been waiting for this a long time." He waved his pistol. "This better not be a trap. You came to easy. Let's go."

Cherise cocked her head. _They are taking me somewhere else? I better finish this, quick._ "I'm not going anywhere," she said softly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone edging into the shadows at the back of the ally wall, behind Tripe and his men.

"Then we will just end it here," Tripe said, putting his finger on the trigger.

Vincent Valentine stepped into the ally, drawing his three-barreled pistol. Tripe and his friends turned, pistols tracking toward the red-capped gunman. Too late, Tripe realized his mistake, and started to turn back towards Cherise.

As Valentine dogged a bullet, Cherise jumped at Tripe, below the bullets he fired her way. She tackled him, and cast a Lightning spell at one of the other gunman. Cherise pulled her pistol from her jacket and jammed it under Tripe's chin. Valentine had shot one of the gunmen, and as he cast a sleep spell on the other, she allowed a smirk to cross her lips.

Cherise took Tripe's gun in one hand, and stood up, keeping him covered with her pistol. "You always were an amateur," she said.

Valentine stepped up to her side. "Perhaps you are more skilled then I thought," he stated, eying Tripe with his red eyes.

"Probably." Cherise grabbed Tripe's shirt and hauled him to his feet. "Looks like you're going to jail again," she said. "This time for attempted murder."

Keeping her pistol trained on him, she picked up her gunblade and re-sheathed it. Cloud Strife turned into the ally-way, and glanced from Cherise to Valentine. He then looked at Tripe. "What is your name?"

Tripe swallowed, then stammered "It's…" he looked at Cherise , who raised her pistol to eye-level and brought it an inch closer to him. "My name is Cody Tripe," he finished.

Strife nodded. "I thought so. There is an arrest warrant out for you. I called WRO. One or two of the Turks will be here too."

_The Turks are coming here?_ Not wanting to see them, Cherise sheathed her pistol and turned toward the entrance of the ally. "In that case, I will take my leave."

"Too late." Cherise's eyes widened as Reno stepped next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. Cherise brushed him off and turned to leave, only to have her way blocked by Tseng, Elena, and Rude. "Crap," she muttered.

Tseng raised an eyebrow. "I take it you are not happy to see us."

"No, I'm not." Cherise snorted.

"What?!" Reno's voice was filled with disbelief. "We haven't seen each other for three years, and this is how you greet me? I had thought I had made a better impression on you then that."

Cherise smirked. "In your dreams, Red."

A WRO truck pulled up. A few agents came out and approached the group. The on in the lead – a sergeant – approached Cloud and saluted.

The sergeant looked around, then said, "I take it that the situation is under control, sir?"

Cloud nodded, then motioned to Cody Tripe. "Looks like we don't have to worry about well-planned robberies from him anymore."

Cherise, knowing that with her perfect memory could replay the rest of Cloud's conversation later, watched the agents escort Tripe and his unconscious friends into the truck. She frowned. WRO was working more fluidly, almost like…she shook her head. As much as Cherise enjoyed doing something to help the planet, she felt that she needed a new job. WRO reminded her of her time with the Turks, a time she wanted to forget.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cherise saw Tseng approch her. She sighed, then looked at him. "Yes?" she asked.

"You were getting ready to have dinner before you were interrupted. Do you mind if we join you?" Tseng asked. "We have not seen each other for several years. I know you have no desire to be a Turk again, but there is no reason why we can't stay in touch."

Cherise sighed. "Fine." She looked at the other Turks. "You guys coming?"

Reno smiled. "Are you kidding? No way would I miss this!"

Elena nodded. "Of course I'm coming." Rude just nodded.

_Of course they would come,_ Cherise thought as she headed back into the bar. _We were friends._

When Tifa saw Cherise, she smiled and put Cherise's sandwich on the table next to her coffee. Cherise sat down, with Tseng and Rude sitting across from her, and Elena next to her. Reno tried to do the same, but a glare from Cherise made him put a seat between them.

Cherise turned to Tseng and smiled. "A good thing I sat at a table with extra seats."

Tseng gave her a small smile.

"So, how have you been?" Elena asked.

Cherise shrugged, and tucked a strand of dirty- blond hair behind her ear. "Ok, I guess. I have'nt stayed in one place for long, and can't seem to find the right job."

Rude frowned. "What about your job with WRO?

Cherise shifted in her seat. "I don't know, it just... well, it reminds me too much of when I used to work for Shinra, and... lost friends," she said, trying to keep images of 1st Class SOLDIERS out of her head.

An awkward silence streched between them until Reno said, "We could have helped you with that, yo. We are still your friends."

Cherise turned and glared at him. "Sure, we were 'friends,' but I was already mad at Shinra and the Turks for blowing up Sector Seven, kidnapping Aeris and killing Zack." She looked at Tseng and her eyes softened. "I know you tried to prevent those things from happening, but they still happened. I just had to get away. And I can't go back."

Another silence streched. this time broken by Elena. "I have noticed that you have started selling your paintings. How is that going?"

The ex-Turk shrugged. "I am doing ok, but so far it would in no way work as a steady job. Not now, at least. Maybe if I could get a few contracts, I could get a job with less time required, but unless that happens, I'm stuck."

"Rufus is thinking of buying one or two," Rude said.

Cherise raised an eyebrow. "Rufus?" She asked. Her amber eyes looked at Tseng. "Since when were the Turks so informal?"

Tseng shrugged. "That happens when you live in the same house as him."

Cherise nodded. "So... which paintings does Mr. Shinra have his eyes on?"

Reno rolled his eyes. "Umm... Let's see. He liked "A Former Power," you know. The one with the tiger and ruined Mako reactor. Oh, and the one with flowers on the outskirts of Midgar, what was it called..."

"Flowers near Midgar."

Reno pointed his fingers at Cherise. "That's it, yo! So, he wants originals, not just prints."

Cherise nodded. "Of course he does." She looked at Elena. "So, how are you? It must be hard, living with just guys."

Elena smiled. "Not really. I don't get board." She looked at Tseng. " Actually... Tseng and I got married a year ago."

Cherise blinked. That was a surprise. "Really?!" She looked at Tseng. He was smiling. Looking back at Elena, she said, "Well, congratulations. I did not see that coming."

Reno smirked. "If you had stayed, you would have. They started dating after the Geostigma incident. I knew it would happen."

Tseng snorted. "Sure, but that did not stop you from flirting with her."

Reno just smiled.

Cherise laughed. "That's just like you, Reno."

They continued to talk until Cherise finished her dinner. "Well, I better go," She said. "It was nice seeing you, and I'll call Rufus about those paintings."

The Turks stood up as well. "You will keep in touch?" Elena asked. Cherise nodded. "I will."

~#~

Vincent Valentine watched as Cherise Autum left the bar. He Could tell that she was more then she seemed, had a different past then most WRO workers. She was different, and that did not include the fact that she had been a Turk.

Vincent had always been good at reading people. A few months ago, when she had first walked into the bar, he had known that she was hiding something. After a few weeks of observation, the gunman had realized that she was hiding her true feelings. Cherise may act like nothing was wrong, but Vincent could tell that she was depressed.

It may not be his business to know why, but Vincent thought that it might have something to do with Cloud. And he had a gut feeling that it may be important. Ever since he was a Turk, he had almost had a sixth sense when it came to information. That's not what it was, really, it was more like when he observed, he could just understand people. That was one of the reasons when. in the Nibelhiem mansion, Vincent had decided to take a risk and join AVALANCE.

The gunman stood up and walked over to Tseng, his cape flowing behind him. Ever since Vincent had rescued Elena and Tseng, they had started to develop a professional respect for each other that was on the verge of friendship. Vincent hoped that they were close enough for Tseng to tell him what he wanted to know.

"Tseng."

The Turk turned toward him and nodded. "Valentine. I want to thank you for your helping Cherise with Tripe."

Vincent nodded. "Your welcome. I want to talk to you. Alone."

Tseng's dark eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded. He turned to the other Turks, and said; "Valentine and I will talk outside. When we are done, be ready to leave."

The Turks nodded, then continued whatever conversation they had been having. Vincent followed Tseng outside the bar. The sun was setting, turning the clouds pink and the lighting a darker shade of blue. It was getting late, so there were few people on the streets, most of them heading home.

Tseng turned toward the gunman. "So, what do you want to know?"

"Who exactly is Cherise Autum?" Vincent asked, getting strait to the point. "She has been coming to 7th Heaven for a while now, but she has not said anything about herself."

Tseng just looked at the gunman. Then he asked, "Why do you want to know, Valentine? You usually do not pry like this."

"There is more to her then being a former Turk. Cloud and Tifa knew her before she joined WRO, but not very well."

Turning away from Vincent, Tseng sighed. "Very well. Cherise and her brother, Aarin, grew up in Nibelhiem. When Cherise turned ten, their father moved to Midgar and got a well-paying job in Shinra. After school, Cherise and her brother would do homework in the Shinra Building until their dad left work. So, as you can imagine, they got to know the staff quite well, and were impressed by the Turks. So when Aarin turned sixteen, he joined the Turks and Cherise followed him three years later. Unlike most Turks, they were willing to work with SOLDIER, and got to know them well. Some of them they might have even called friends." Here Tseng hesitated.

"Go on," Vincent said, interested, although knowing where this might go.

"They were very close with two SOLDIERs in particular." Tseng looked at Vincent. "Zack Fair and Sephiroth."

The gunman's eyes widened. Then he nodded. "It makes sense now." He looked at Tseng. "Continue."

"Aarin had gone on several missions with both Zack and Sephiroth, and called them friends before Cherise joined. As brother and sister, they were very close, so naturally Cherise became a part of his group of friends. She knew Zack and Sephiroth for only a few years, but..." Tseng shrugged.

"From what I saw, I think I can honestly say that the two SOLDIERs treated Cherise like a little sister. She became a person of interest, not only because of her friendship with the SOLDIERs, but because of two skills she had. She had a perfect momory: Cherise could recall things that happened years ago like it happened yesterday. And she was an artist."

Vincent frowned. "An artist? It would be hard to be both an artist and a Turk."

Tseng smiled. "It was only a hobby. But an interesting one." Then he sighed, and became serious once more. "Cherise had been a Turk only a year before things took a turn for the worst. Sephiroth and Zack went to Nibelhiem."

For a minute, as Tseng let that sink in, both men were quiet. As dark approached, the traffic in the streets lessened. The last few rays of sunlight touched the ruins of Midgar towering over Edge, then the light faded as the sun sunk below the horizon. A few stars had appeared in the late spring sky, and a cool freeze swept down the street, making Vincent's cloak billow out to the side like a tree caught in a strong wind.

"As you can imagine," Tseng said softly, "that was a shock to Cherise and Aarin. Not only did they lose two friends, but their parents had been in Nibelhiem at the time. They lost friends, family, and their hometown. Of course, Shinra did not reveal what really happened. The official report was that monsters had attacked and killed the team that had been sent to investigate the reactor. It was not until years later, when Zack and Cloud escaped, that they learned that something else had happened. And when Sephiroth attacked the Shinra Building that they learned the entire truth."

Tseng looked Vincent in the eye. "Cherise was one of the few survivors. She almost died; but her brother was not so lucky. Aarin was dead, and after she was healed, Cherise quit the Turks and went after Sephiroth, but she never caught up to him or AVALANCE. Then she joined WRO."

Vincent nodded. "Thanks for telling me."

Tseng nodded. "Valentine, I do not tell other people's stories lightly. Cherise went through a lot. It may not look like it, but she is still hurting. I hope that she can find friends in AVALANCE."

The gunman hesitated, then said, "I see what you mean. If it is alright, I will tell Cloud." He looked at Tseng, who nodded. "We will do what we can."

"Thank you," Tseng said softly. "I think you can tell Tifa, as well. Cherise could use all the help she can get."

**A/N:**

**So, yeah. I hope i got the characters right. Next chapter will have more of Sephiroth. Please review! IF YOU DO, you can hug Kadaj.**

**Kadaj: Why me?**

**Because you are here.**


	3. Chapter 3

**mia:HAPPY Turkey day!!!!!!!!!i'monly going to be here for a while because i need to help with the sweet potatoes.(yummy)**

**Kelana-ti: Well, if you are going to leave me, then get. (i mean that in the nicest way possible)**

**mia: ! and have a great thanksgiving!-steals vincent's headband on the way out-**

**Vincent:...-glare-**

**Yuffie: Hey! Give that back!**

**Cloud: Yuffie, calm down. **

**Cid: Where the -_bleep- _is the sugar?**

**Mom: It's in the cabinet. And don't swear. We have kids here.**

**Cid: -grumbles, grabs sugar-**

**Tifa: Cloud, help me keep Yuffie away from the oven.**

**Brother: -runs past, chasing Denzel and Marlene-**

**Dad: Mia, help me with the pickles.**

**Mia: PICKLES! 8D**

**Kelana-ti: O.0 wow. okay, yeah. It's a little crazy around here. With AVALANCHE and my family here (and by family i mean parents, brother and sister, aunt, uncle, grandpa, nana, papa, older half-brother, and two extra dogs) it is going to be one heck of a Thanksgiving. But yeah. C:**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or its characters, only my OCs and the plot in this story.**

**Chapter 3**

Sephiroth floated in the inky,suffocating blackness that was the only life after death for Jenova's children. There was no light, and the only thing the ex-SOLDIER could feel was a cold chill that numbed not only his body but his mind. The only thing he could hear was his so-called mother's thoughts. It was the closest thing to hell Sephiroth had ever felt, besides his grief for what he had done. This was his punishment.

And yet, Sephiroth did not want to go back to the living, for when he was alive, he was Jenova's puppet; her adopted son who would do whatever she wanted him to do. For years, the only time the former general was sane was when he was dead.

The first time he had entered Jenova's mind, Sephiroth had tried to escape. He had no way of knowing how to escape a place that has no physical plane, but he tried anyway. But Jenova has clever ways to punish her slaves.

At the back of his mind, Sephiroth knew that Jenova was planning something. Some time ago he had heard not only Jenova's thoughts, but those of his remnants as well. But now, he could not. That could only mean that they were back on the Planet. And Jenova seemed distracted, but Sephiroth had never been able to hear her individual thoughts anyway, unless she wanted him to.

Then, Sephiroth felt someone fighting with Jenova, trying to reach him. Whoever it was, Sephiroth knew he had met them when he was alive. Several times they had tried to take him into the Lifestream, and they had failed every time.

As Sephiroth concentrated, he could separate the presence into two people; one male, one female. A weakness appeared in Jenova's mind, and, sensing that this time they might win, Sephiroth joined them in pushing against Jenova. Then, something happened that had never happened before. The Deceiver slipped.

Light cut into the darkness, blinding Sephiroth. Jenova screamed out of rage and frustration, and her grip on the swordsman slipped. For the first time in years, Sephirothfelt the touch of a human hand, not in hatred, but in love. Two hands held onto both of his; one was gloved and the other was slim and delicate. Than they pulled him out of the darkness and into the light.

~#~

Cherise lived in a five-story apartment building behind 7th Heaven. There used to be a warehouse between the two, but it was ruined in the Battle of Midgar and was now only an empty lot. She had heard that AVALANCE had bought it, but did not know what for.

The former Turk took the outside stairs up to the third story. Before entering her apartment, Cherise turned around. The sun had set, leaving a pink line on the horizon. There was a cool breeze, causing her blond hair to get in her face. She looked at 7th Heaven. Cherise could hear talking. She bet that AVALANCHE was having fun. Probably eating dinner, and talking about old times. And here she was: alone.

She turned around and unlocked her door. Cherise stepped inside, and turned on the lights. The apartment was better than others she had stayed in; a living room with a corner dedicated to a kitchen, to the right was a bathroom and two bedrooms. When she first moved to Edge, a fellow WRO worker had asked Cherise if she would like to share apartments. Cherise agreed. The other worker's name was Jordan, but it did not matter, since after two weeks of living together Jordan had run off with her new husband, leaving everything to Cherise. Not that she really minded: she couldn't have bought all the furniture anyway. After Jordan left, Cherise had converted the extra bedroom into an art room and moved all her paintings in there.

Cherise closed the door, took of her boots and put them under the table against the wall to her left. As she stood up, a brown-gray tabby cat meowed and rubbed up against her legs. Cherise smiled. "Hello, Alex. You're hungry, huh kitty?" She stepped over him, across a blue and green rug and around the dinner table into the kitchen. She opened the cabinet over the oven and got out the cat food, then filled up Alex's dish beside the refrigerator next to his water bowl. She gave him a pat, and he meowed again before starting to eat.

Cherise sighed. After work, she would usually draw or paint for awhile, but today had been busy. Not only that, she had not gotten a lot of sleep lately. _Alright. I'll go to bed early._

~#~

_It was raining. Cherise stepped out of the helicopter into the mud. As she stood there, she felt the rain soaking into her hair. Aarin stepped down beside her. He sighed._

_"It looks like we got here too late," he said softly._

_Cherise shook her head. She did not trust herself to speak. Not when everything inside her was screaming; _"No! Zack can't be dead! Not when we just learned he is still alive! I won't believe it. Not unless I see it myself." _But Cherise was a Turk. So she locked up her feelings where they could not get in the way of her job and started walking across the battlefield. _

_Aarinfollowed her. Out of the corner of her eye, Cherise saw him looking at her. He knew her well, and in those brown eyes Cherise could see that he knew she was hurting. But he did not say looked around. The mountain side was littered with bodies. She shook her head. All these men, sent to kill just one ex-SOLDIER. The rainwater flowed down the hills, and into the barren plains around Midgar. On the other side of the battlefield, Cherise could see Reno and Rude looking at the dead. Looking for survivors._

_She slipped. Aarin tried to catch her, but he had not been paying attention. Cherise was on her hands and knees in the mud. She noticed that there was blood on the ground. The Turk looked up, and saw a young MP laying next to her. His helmet was off, and his gray eyes were staring sightlessly up into the rainy sky._

_Cherise stood up, looking away. Then, on the edge of the cliff, she saw something out of place. She froze._

_"Cherise?" Aarin asked. He frowned, and followed her gaze. He saw Cissnei kneeling near the edge of the cliff, next to a body. He was wearing a SOLDIER uniform. _

_As if in a dream, Cherise walked forward. It seemed unreal; the colors were dull, the ground mud, the sky fray. Even the blood had been soaked up by the wet walked next to her, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Reno and Rude approaching. The siblings reached Cissnei. She looked up, brown eyes sad, red hair hanging limply down to her shoulders. Without a word, Reno kneeled next to her, and put an arm around her shoulders. _

_Cissnei and Aarinsat down. Finally, she looked at Zack. His blood covered face was pale, contrasting with his spiky hair. Reno swore softly. Cissnei nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. "That about sums it up."_

_Cherise started crying. This was worse than Nibelhiem. Then, there had been a chance that Zack had lived. But now, there was no doubt: he was dead._

_And then, everything shattered._

~#~

Cherise woke up to find her hand covering her mouth to keep from screaming. The place where Sephiroth had cut her burned; it always did after a nightmare. She looked at the clock: 10 p.m. She had gone to bed at eight.

She sighed, and lay back down. Alex jumped up next to her and started purring. Absentmindedly, Cherise started petting him. For now, she just wanted to sleep. But one day, maybe she could sleep through the night without having nightmares.

**A/N:**

**I was going to kill Cissnei, but I have something better planed for her. -evil smile- I know that this chapter is a little sad, but it will get better, I promise! And once again, happy Thanksgiving.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi! So, this chapter took awhile, but I have good reasons. I got sick for a few days over Christmas vacation, and in January my family hosted a Australian student for 2 weeks.**

**Zack: She had blue hair. But, I guess she was okay. One good thing about her is that she knew that your family is crazy.**

**Kelana-ti: (sarcastic) Thank you, Zack. (to readers) We showed her some of our favorite spots, and took her to a friend's cabin.**

**Zack: That sounds fun. Did she like the snow?**

**Me: Yes she did. I also wrote a Yazfie oneshot for a contest of one of my fav writers.**

**Zack: Vincent's reaction to the was funny.**

**Me: Yes it was. :D**

**Mia: Poor Vinnie -laugh-**

**Zack: O.o Were you here this whole time?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or any of the characters in it, only my OCs and the plot in this story.**

**Chapter 4**

Tifa had converted the room behind the bar into a living room, with a TV, two couches, a rocking chair, a coffee table, and a bookshelf. She had just put the kids to bed, and had curled up on one of the couches to read a bit of the book she had picked up. Tifa had just started when Cloud came in. He hesitated, then closed the door softly.

Tifa watched him walk around the couch and put his sword on the ground so it would not cut the couch. Cloud sat down next to her. "Vincent went back to the apartment building," he said.

Tifa nodded, and set her book on the table between the couches next to the lamp. "Cherise was a friend of Sephiroth's," she said softly. "I never thought... " she trailed off.

Cloud sighed. "I knew. When I joined Shinra, I saw her a lot. It is possible that we were friends..." He trailed off, then shook his head. "When she first entered the bar, I found it hard to believe that it was her. Cherise has changed... She is not who she used to be."

"I agree." Tifa said softly. "I remember who she was before she moved to Midgar. She was serious, true, but nothing like this. Back then Cherise would laugh, and she was a good friend. She helped me when Mother died. But now... when she was talking to the Turks, she laughed once. And that is the first time I have seen her laugh since she moved to Midgar."

"The deaths of her friends have changed her," Cloud said softly. "Anyway... We can talk about this later." He hesitated, looking at Tifa.

He had that look again. Tifa knew Cloud very well, and knew when he wanted to ask her something. She tilted her head and looked into his mako-blue eyes. When Cloud wanted to ask you something, it was best to just wait for it, unless it seemed he would not ask.

Cloud sighed, not looking Tifa in the eye. "Do you think it is too late to call Barret?"

Tifa frowned and looked at the clock: 10:30. "Yes, but you could call him tomorrow. Why?" She asked, reaching up and putting her hand on Cloud's cheek, forcing him to look at her.

He smiled, embarrassed. "I was hoping he could watch Denzel and Marlene tomorrow. Between five and seven. Maybe a little later."

Tifa put her hand back in her lap and smiled, catching on. Over the past year, Cloud and Tifa had gone on several dates. "Are you asking me out?"

"Yes."

She nodded, and tapped a finger on her chin. "But where should we go?"

"Well... we could go to the Toscanno," Cloud said, wincing.

Tifa gasped. "But, Cloud! That restaurant is expensive! And you don't even like Italian food," she said, frowning.

"I know. Don't worry, I have it taken care of. I've been saving up," he said sheepishly.

Tifa was speechless.

"You can close the bar at five so you can change," Cloud continued. "That short dark green dress of yours would work. We don't have to dress up too fancy. Then we would be ready to go at five thirty."

Tifa found her voice. "You've been planning this!" She did not know whether to be pleased or angry.

Cloud blushed. "I know you like Italian food. But if you want, we could go somewhere else..."

"No, it's okay." Tifa said quickly. "it sounds nice." She sighed. "It's getting late. I had better get ready for bed," she said, standing up. she wanted to think. Usually, Cloud did not plan these things by himself. He asked her first.

Cloud also stood up. "Tifa, wait," he said, taking her hand.

She looked up at him, noticing how close they were. His blue eyes gazed into hers. He almost looked nervous.

Wrapping his arm around her waist, he brought up his left hand and cupped her face. Cloud took a half-step closer. Tifa gasped, understanding. Hesitantly, she put her hands on his chest.

Cloud leaned over. Tifa looked up, and their noses touched. Some of his blond hair brushed her face.

"I'm tired of running," Cloud said softly. Then he kissed her.

Not breaking the kiss, Tifa wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Cloud moved his gloved hand to the back of her neck, and under her hair. Tifa felt light-headed, then she remembered to breathe. She parted her lips for a second, then moved back into the kiss, making it more passionate. Not until now did she realize how much she had wanted Cloud to kiss her.

After what seemed forever, but altogether to short, they broke apart, both a little out of breath. Cloud smiled. "I love you," he said.

"I love you too." It felt so good to say those words.

That night, Tifa had a hard time going to sleep. When she did, she still dreamed about the first kiss she and Cloud had shared.

~#~

"When is he going to get up?" A voice asked. Male, but not deep. Light.

A girl laughed. "When he feels like it. He has been through a lot. Let him get used to being here."

Sephiroth knew they were talking about him. The girl was right. He could tell this place was different, even with his eyes closed. This place was warm, and it felt good after the numbing cold from before. A gentle breeze moved over him, finding it's way through his hair and clothes. The former general was laying on his back. He was surrounded by flowers. He could smell them, and feel them brushing against his body.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. Sephiroth winced and brought a hand up to cover them. After who-knows-how-long in pitch darkness. it was a big jump to a sunlit meadow.

Over to his right, someone moved. The girl whispered, "No. Give him time."

Sephiroth opened his eyes again. He looked up. The sky was blue and bright. Birds were singing. Slowly, he sat up. To his left was what looked like a trail leading though the white and yellow flowers to a small white house. The meadow was surrounded by maple trees.

Finally, Sephiroth looked to his right. The two people who sat next to him should not have been a surprise. Zack was smiling at him, his posture reminding Sephiroth of a puppy on a leash. His blue eyes were as bright as always, and his black hair was still spiky. Zack's dark navy-blue uniform stood out against light green grass and flowers like a blue jay in a Turk's office.

Zack's smile grew wider. "Hiya, Seph!" He said, pulling Sephiroth into a bear hug. "It's nice to see you sane again."

The former General rolled his green eyes. "Nice to see you too, Zack. Now let go."

"Okay."

They stood up. Sephiroth felt good using his legs again, even if he was dead. He looked at the girl who was standing next to Zack, then realized who she was. The Cetra! The girl he had killed. She looked at home with flowers, a part of Sephiroth's mind noted. Pink dress and all. He realized he was staring, and looked at Zack. He was smiling.

"Sephiroth, this is Aeris. You have met her before, but I don't think you knew her name."

Sephiroth nodded, not knowing what to say. Aeris looked at him knowingly, and smiled. "Zack told me all about you."

He nodded. Sephiroth turned to Zack. "So this is your girlfriend. I have to admit, she is pretty."

They both blushed. "Actually..." Zack cleared his throat. "It's not really like that... since we are dead."

Sephiroth said nothing. He had forgotten that some people could have been happy alive. But for him, being dead was a relief.

Aeris touched his arm, startling Sephiroth out of his dark thoughts. "I forgive you," she said gently. "It wasn't your fault."

He shook his head. "I gave into her. I do not deserve your forgiveness."

Zack was serious. "You did not know what you were getting into. Jenova got into your head slowly; you did not know until it was to late. She made you go insane. You cannot say it is your fault."

Sephiroth sighed. "Whether I was insane or not, Zack, their blood is still on my hands."

"Fine," Zack said, shrugging it off. "Have it your way. There are some people that want to see you. Come on." He turned and started walking down the path to the white cottage. Aeris looked at Sephiroth and smiled. "Let's go," she said softly. The ex-SOLDIER hesitated, then started off after Zack, Aeris following him.

**A/N:**

**So, this chapter has the promised non-angst stuff I said it would have. I hope you enjoyed it. And if you are reading this, please review!**


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